Railroad tie and clamp.



D. S. BEACH.

RAILROAD TIB AND CLAMP. APPLIoATloN PILE; MAY 11. 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFETQE.

DAVID S. BEACH, OF BRIDGEPORT, CGNNECTICUT.

RAILROAD TIE AND CLAMP.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAvrD S. BEACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Ties and Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters 0f reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1 a perspective view of one end of my tie showing the rail mounted thereon, with a plug at the end of the tie removed. Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional view of one end of the tie. Fig. 3 a side view, on a reduced scale, of the tie with the post removed. Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view of the tie on a reduced scale.

This invention relates to an improvement in railroad ties and clamps, the object being to provide a metal tie and means for securing the rail thereto in such a manner as to reduce the strain upon the ties and produce a cushioning seat for the rail; and the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I construct the tie of box form having a top 2, sides 3, 4, and base 5, the edges 6 of which preferably rojectbeyond the sides 3, 4, so as to forni anges for securing the tie in bridge-work. The sides may be secured to the base in any desired manner for instance, as shown, the sides 3, 4, are formed with lugs 7 which extend'through openings formed for them in the base 5. At a predetermined point near each end of the tie is a hole 8, and within the tie is a socket 9 having a flange 10 at its upper end, and the length of the socket is slightly less than the distance between the top of the base and the under face of the top 2. Surrounding the socket and bearing against the flange 10 and the upper face of the base 5 is a heavy spiral spring 11. In this socket is a threaded hole 12 corresponding in size to the hole 8 and this socket with its spring is forced into the tie until the threaded hole 12 is directly beneath the hole S. 'I he rail clamp is formed in two parts, one comprising a plate 1,3 with a screwthreaded shank 14 which is ada ted to pass through and closely fit the ho e 8 and be Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 11, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Serial No. 432,294.

turned into the threaded hole 12 in the socket 9. This plate may be turned into the socket until it rests upon the upper face of the top of the tie, but preferably a little space will be left between the under face of the late 13 and the upper face of the tie 2 as s iown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The base 15 of the rail, which is of usual construction, is then placed upon the plate 13 and beneath the over-hanging jaw 16 thereof. A clamping jaw 17 is then placed upon the opposite side ofthe rail and screws 18 are passed through the jaw 17 and plate 13 to connect the two parts of the clamp and hold the rail. Nuts 21 may be applied to the ends of the screws, and these nuts may be of the lock type, if desired. If desired, also, a set screw 19 may be entered through one side of the flange 10 into engagement with the screw 12 to prevent the stem from turning, although this may not be necessary. T he rails are thus rigidly secured to the ties, and as the holes 8 are drilled by a gage, it follows that the rails must necessarily be brought into line. As weight is brought upon the rail the clamp will be depressed and contract the spring 11 which, as before stated, is a very heavy spring and calculated to sustain the necessary weight. To protect the interior of the tie from moisture the ends may be closed by plugs 20.

I claim 1. The herein described railroad tie and clamp comprising a metal box, holes formed in the top of said box near the ends thereof, sockets located within the box and having anges at their upper ends, springs surrounding said sockets and bearing against said flange, a rail clamp comprising a plate having a screw threaded shank adapted to be turned into said socket, and a jaw ada ted to be connected with said clamping plate, substantially as described.

2. The herein described railroad tie and clamp comprising a metal box, holes formed in the top of said box near the ends thereof, sockets located within the box and having flanges at their upper ends, said sockets being shorter than the distance between the inner faces of the top and bottom of said box, springs surrounding said sockets and bearing against said fiange, a rail clamp comprising a plate having a screw threaded shank adapted to be turned into said socket, and a jaw adapted to be connected with said clamping plate, substantially as described.

3. A railroad tie and clamp comprising a rectangular hollow box, holes in the top of said box, sockets located within said tie and having threaded openings in line with the holes in the tie, said sockets formed with flanges, springs surrounding said sockets and bearing against said lange and against the inner face of the base of the tie, a clamping plate having a screw threaded shank adapted to pass through said tie and into said socket, said clamping plate formed With an integral, over-hanging ]aw, a clamping jaw adapted to be secured to said plate, and plugs located inthe open ends of said tie, substantially as 15 described.

v4. The herein Ydescribed railway tie and clamp, comprising a rnetal box, a holeVV formed in the top of the said box, a socket located Within the box and formed with a flange at its upper end, a spring surrounding said socket and bearing against said flange, and a rail clamp adapted to be connected with and supported by said socket, substantiallyras described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

DAVID S. BEACH.

Witnesses FREDERIC C. EARLIE, CLARA L. WEED. 

